Naturally, December news over the years featured Christmas. Despite the Depression, in 1933, local merchants were decorating for the season.
In 1948, merchants announced the stores would stay open in the evenings for people to do Christmas shopping. After pandemic problems in previous years, the annual tree lighting downtown took place in 1922.
The fire department was busy, but not because of Christmas decorations. In 1948, Clay Township’s fire levy failed, so the paper announced the southern part of the township would have to sign up with Brookville for fire protection.
The protection maybe wasn’t too good, as Brookville had to call on Clayton when the pumper malfunctioned. The public was asked for donations to pay for it.
By 1973 the city could pay Bruce Bickel $4,500 for land at Cusick and Albert for a new fire station.
Schools made news. In 1933, the state school superintendent urged federal aid for schools. The district received funds from the Civil Works Administration to “redecorate” the school, including basic repairs, and the school board awarded the contracts to local firms.
In 1998, the high school got new bleachers.
That same year, Americans United for Separation of Church and State joined residents in opposing the proposal for a school chaplain. The Brookville Ministerial Association withdrew its support and the board “indefinitely postponed” the idea.
In 2022 the Northmont Board of Education learned that future state money would not increase, and Brookville schools began updating cybersecurity.
Governing boards were not inactive. In 1948, the Ohio Association Telephone Company requested an increase in rates; an individual residential line would increase to $3.50 a month.
In 1973, the year of the energy crisis (remember the lines at gas stations?), Dayton Power &Light urged everyone to lower thermostats.
That same year, a zoning bill in Perry Township proposed that 80 percent of the township be zoned agricultural or agricultural residences, with 10-acre lot sizes. This threatened the Newfields project. Brookville council denied the rezoning of the Benhken property at Wolf Creek and Karrlands.
State officials proposed that I-675 go through the western part of the county, raising opposition.
After the troubles of the pandemic City Manager Sonja Keaton said financially 2022 seemed almost normal. But Englewood voted to increase its water and sewer rates and authorized replacement of the water main along Wenger Road from South Main Street to Taywood Road.
Brookville was expanding, and in 1998 the village bought the building next to the municipal building on Sycamore Street to use for storing vehicles and equipment.
People thought of the future. In 1948, a time capsule was buried in the cornerstone of Harry Smith’s Drugstore building. In 2022 Brookville council authorized Sonja Keaton to enter into a partner agreement with Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission for an electric vehicle charger project.
People were honored. In 1948, there was a funeral for Tech. Sgt. Levy Rodgers, who had been killed in Italy in 1944. In 1973, the Kim Garlitz picnic table was put in place at Golden Gate Park, honoring a local youth killed by lightning on a camping trip in the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota.
In 2022, Miami Valley Hospital honored Brookville Police officers Zach Snell and Meryl Westerheide and Brookville Fire Department EMS personnel Mark Wysong, Justin Ververka and Andrew Stewart for providing care for in individual who suffered cardiac arrest.
Christmas again made news as the 2022 Christmas Drive-thru at Golden Gate Park was a success.
